Process for converting petroleum oil



y 19, 1931. c. P. DUBBS 1,806,283-

PROCESS FOR CONVERTING PETROLEUI OIL Filed Feb. 8, 1922 Wirne sv Q rind/4M7 I V MWnzgatentetii ay 19, 1931 CAGE P. DUIBBS, WILMETTE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS GSANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

raocnss FOR CONVERTING- rnrnonnom on.

Application filed February 8, 1922. Serial No. 534,858.

This invention relates to improvements in a process for converting petroleum oil and refers more particularly to a process in which thelighter fractions are first distilled from '5 the oil and the oil charge subsequent to this initial distillation, is combined with the reflux condensate and treated in a separate coil wherein the major conversion takes place.

The single figure is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the apparatus. The process is carried on in the following manner. The oil to be treated is introduced from storage through a line 1 controlled by a valve 2 and is charged by means of a pump 3 through the line 4: in which is interposed a valve 5 to the heating tubes 6 mounted in the lower division 7 of the double-deck furnace 8. Gas burners 9 serve to heat this lower division or compartment. The oil circulated through this initial stage is raised to a temperature above that which will produce distillation of the lower boiling pomt oil fractions. From the heating coils 6 the heated oil is directed to an expansion or vaporizing chamber 10 where the lighter vapors are relieved from the oil body passing ofi through a pipe 11 to a water condenser 12. In addition to. the lighter fractions which are relieved in this stage, there will also be distilled from the oil any water which is contained therein. Thus, whenthe oil is drawn from the primary distilling chamber 10 it is in a dry condition as far as water or moisture in the oil is concerned. A pressure gauge 13 is mounted on the distilling chamber 10. The condensed water and lighter oil fractions may be drawn ofl from the condenser coil through the valve 14. The oil withdrawn from the distilling chamber passes out through the line 15 regulated by a valve 16 and is directed through the upturned vertical portion of this line b means'of a suitable pump and introduce into the top of dephlegmator 17 Where it serves as a refluxing medium to the oil vapors which rise through this dephlegmating column. After percolating down through the dephlegmaton it is collected with what condensate may be separated from the oil vapors in the lower leg 18 of the column and is drawn ofl' therefrom through a line 19 regulated by a valve 20.

Through this line, the raw oil and reflux condensate is passed .to the heating coils 21 mounted in the upper compartment 22 of the furnace 8. This compartment besides receiving heat through the checker-work brick partition wall 23 from the lower compartment or division of the furnace, is further heated by burners 24 to a temperature sufiicient to raise the oil to a cracking temperature.

The heated oil is passed from the tubes 21 through the, transfer line 25 in which is interposed a valve 26, to the expansion cham- I her 27. The vapors evolved therein produced in the conversion of the oil body, ass off through the vapor line 28 regulated i iy a valve 29, to the dephlegmator 17 while the unvaporized oil may be maintained at a proper level by withdrawing it intermittently or continuously through the valve 30.

As explained the vapors are deph-legmated by being passed in intimate contact with the oil introduced from chamber 10 which peroolates down over the perforated pans 31' arranged in the dephlegmator. The dephlegmated vapors pass oil? through the pipe 32 to a water condenser 33 and flow down through the pipe 34 in which is interposed a valve 35, to the receiving tank 36 which is equipped with liquid level gauge 37, pressure gauge 38 and a pressurerelief pipe 39. A draw-01f valve 40 in the bottom of the tank serves to withdraw the distillate from the receiving moisture-content prior to its being submitted to the cracking or conversion reaction. In addition to this advantage, the reflux condensate which requires a greater degree of: heat than is necessary to distill ofi' these lighter fractions is treated in a separate coil and may be raised to a higher temperature without producing undue conversion in the raw oil charge. It has been found where re-y flux condensate is combined with and retreated with the raw oil, that the temperature necessary to produce further converslon of treating gas oil of approximatelly 32 to 33 Baum in this manner, a yield of 40% to 50% pressure distillate, having a gravity of from 48 to 51 may be produced.

The operation of the process is preferably continuous and the pressure regulated by the ,valves may range from 50 to 250 pounds according to the character of the oil treated.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process of oil conversion, consisting in g initially passing a stream of charging oil through that portion of a furnace maintained at the lowest temperature, to heat suchoil sufl'iciently to cause vaporization of the lighter constituents and any water contained in the oil, in collecting the heated liquid oil in a body, from which body the vaporized light constituents and water are removed, to be isolated from the process, in simultaneously passing a second stream of oil through that portion of the furnace maintained at the high est temperature, wherein said second stream of oil is raised to a conversion temperature, in passing vapors evolved from oil heated in said second stream to a dephlegmator, in introducing heated liquid oil from said body to said dephlegmator, to act as a dephlegmating medium for the vapors therein, in taking off dephlegmated vapors from said dephlegmator for condensation and collec- 40 tion and in Withdrawing unvaporized charging oil and reflux condensate from said dephlegmator, to form the charging oil for said second stream, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing conversion.

2. A process of oil conversion, consisting in simultaneously passing separate streams of oil through a furnace, one of said streams of oil/being passed through that portion of the furnace maintained at the lowest temperature, while the'other stream is passed through that portion of the furnace maintained at the highest temperature, in delivering the oil which has been subjected to the lowest tern-- perature to an enlarged chamber, from which vaporous constituents are withdrawn, tobe isolated from the process, in passing vapors evolved from the oil which has been subjected to the highest temperature to a dephlegmator,

in introducing liquid oil from said enlarged chamber to said dephlegmator, to act as a dephlegmating medium for the vapors theresaid dephlegmator, to supply the stream of oil which is passed through the portion of the furnace subjected to the highest temperature, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the 011 undergoing conversion in the process.

3. A process for treating hydrocarbon oils, consisting in passing a stream of charging oil through that portion of a furnace maintained at the lowest temperature, in simultaneously passing a second stream of oil through that portion of the furnace maintained at the highest temperature, wherein said second stream of oil is raised to a cracking heat, in delivering the first stream of oil to a zone, from which those constituents vaporizable at the temperature to which such stream of oil has been raised are removed, to be isolated from the process, in delivering the heated oil from said second stream to a second enlarged zone, wherein conversion occurs, in passing vapors from said second enlarged zone to a dephlegmator, in supplying liquid oil from said first zone to said dephlegmator, to act as a dephlegmating medium for the vapors therein, in withdrawing unvaporized liquid oil and reflux condensate from said dephlegmator, to supply the charging oil for said second stream, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the 'oil undergoing conversion in the process.

4. A process for treating hydrocarbon oil comprising passing a stream of charging oil through a portion of a furnace wherein said -oil is heated to a temperature suflicient to volatilize the lighter constituents and water content in the charging oil, simultaneousl .passing a second stream of oil throug another portion of the furnace wherein said second stream of oil is raised to a cracking temperature, delivering the first stream of oil to a zone from which those constituents vaporizable at the temperature to which said stream of oil has been raised are removed to be isolated from the process, delivering the heated oil from said second stream to an independent enlarged zone wherein conversion occurs, passing vapors from said independent enlarged zone to a dephlegmator, supplying liquid oil from said first zone to said dephlegmator to act as a dephlegmating mediumfor vapors therein, withdrawing unvaporized liquid oil and condensate from said dephlegmator to supply the charging oil-for said second stream, and maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing. conversion in the process.

CARBON P. DUBBSQ in, in taking 0E dephlegmated vapors from said dephlegmator, in withdrawing unvaporized liquid oil and reflux condensate from 

